Apparatus for making pastry cups and the like

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for and method of making products, such as pastry cups, ice cream cones and the like, by baking batter in split molds carried by mold bars, the molds cooperating with removable cores carried by core bars selectively latched to the mold bars. The mold bars are mounted on a continuously operating conveyor by which they are progressively carried through an oven, a core bar removing station, a mold opening and product removing station, mold closing and mold charging stations, a core bar replacement station, a core bar jogging station, and a core bar latching station. When the core bars with their cores are removed from the mold bars, they are temporarily stored on and carried by the conveyor. The apparatus includes split molds with mold opening and closing means; mechanism for removing core bars from mold bars, storing the core bars, and reapplying them to the mold bars; means for centering the core bars on the mold bars to thus register the cores with the mold cavities; mechanism for latching and unlatching the core bars; and means for removing the product from the molds and forwarding the same to a product trimming station.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 103,707, filed Jan. 4, 1971.

This invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of makingproducts such as pastry cups or cones by baking batter in molds providedwith removable cores.

Prior apparatus for producing these and similar products have been slowin operation; core removal, storage, and replacement have requiredcumbersome, bulky mechanism which was also defective in that it did notcenter the cores accurately in the mold cavities upon their replacementtherein. As a result, the products had sidewalls which were frequentlyporous and/or markedly non-uniform in thickness, and the number ofrejects and the amount of wastage generally were high.

The apparatus of the invention overcomes the above indicateddisadvantages of the prior art by the provision of an improved apparatusof the type wherein molds are carried by a conveyor through successivestations. The improvements in the general organization of the apparatus,and of the various individual units or parts thereof, will appear fromthe following description of an illustrative preferred embodiment of theapparatus.

The invention has among its objects the provision, in an endless chaintype of pastry baking apparatus provided with molds and cores removabletherefrom, of an improved core transferring and storing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of split molds havingnovel mold opening, closing, and locking means.

A further object is the provision of cores and core bars mounting thecores in a novel manner, and cooperating with the molds in such manneras to permit the selective locking of the core bars to the mold barsmounting the molds, and the unlocking and removal of the core barstherefrom.

Yet other objects of the invention are the provision of means forlatching the core bars individually on the mold bars, means for insuringthe centering of the cores in the molds before they are latched thereto,and means for detecting the locking of the core bars to the mold barsand for stopping the machine if a core bar should not be properlylatched.

Still further objects are the provision of novel core bar unlatchingmeans, novel means for removing the baked product from the opened molds,a novel batter pump novelly placed in the apparatus for charging themolds after they have been closed, and core jogging means operative uponthe cores prior to the latching of the core bars to the mold bars topermit the ready escape of steam and air from the molds.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention willmore fully appear from the following detailed description when the sameis read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to beexpressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a shortened view in side elevation of an illustrative machinein accordance with the invention, the front or delivery end thereofbeing at the left and an intermediate portion of the oven or rear end ofthe machine being broken away;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the front end portionof the machine, the view being taken from the side opposite that shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentay view in vertical longitudinal section at thefront end of the apparatus, the view showing the core removal, moldopening, product discharge and flash trimming stations, the sectionsbeing taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section at themold charging, core replacement, core jogger and core bar lockingstations, the section being taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 5 andshowing an extension toward the right of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in front elevation of the apparatus, the section beingtaken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the apparatus; the sectionbeing taken along the lines 5--5 of FIGS. 1 and 1a;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in plan of the apparatus, the view beingtaken from the right and in the plane of the line 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation of the cone or cup produced by themachine;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the manner in which core bars aretransferred from travelling molds to travelling storage means whichalternate with the molds;

FIG. 9a is a view in side elevation of the upper reach of a conveyorchain, molds, and core bar storage means in generally that portion ofthe apparatus which is shown in FIG. 2, one of the molds being shownopen and the product being about to be discharged therefrom;

FIG. 9b is a view in side elevation similar to FIG. 9a but of a portionof the upper reach of the conveyor shown in FIG. 3 rearwardly ordownstream of that shown in FIG. 9a, the view being taken along the line9b-9b of FIG. 6, FIGS. 9a and 9b taken together showing a continuousportion of the conveyor with molds and core bar storage means of theapparatus;

FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of one end portion of a mold bar and acore bar assembly mounted on the conveyor chain, the view being takenalong the line 10--10 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a view in vertical axial section through a mated mold andcore filled with batter, the core being shown in elevation, the sectionbeing taken along the line 11--11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an isolated view in side elevation of the core bar liftingand transferring mechanism, the mechanism being shown in its lowered andleft-hand or forward terminal position, preparatory to being moved tothe right and lifted so as to engage core bar supporting rollers at twostations spaced longitudinally of the machine;

FIG. 12a is a view similar to FIG. 12 but with the core bar lifting andtransferring mechanism having been moved somewhat to the right andlifted so as to engage and support two longitudinally spaced core bars;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing the motion of a roller mounted onthe end of a core bar during the transfer of the core bar from a mold toa storage position or vice versa;

FIG. 13a is a fragmentary isolated view in side elevation of the machineat the entering end of the core bar jogger, the figure also showing themeans for maintaining the core bar latching means open or raised as thecore bar passes through the jogger;

FIG. 14 is a view in plan of a multi-unit pump for metering battery tothe mold cavities;

FIG. 15 is a schematic view in side elevation of the pump valveoperating mechanism, as viewed from the bottom of FIG. 14, with the pumpin a first transversely indexed position and the metering valves inclosed position;

FIG. 15a is a view similar to FIG. 15 but with the pump indexed oneposition to the right;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the lower, pistonside of the pump, the view being taken from the line 16--16 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the pump, thesection being taken through a metering valve along the line 17--17 ofFIG. 20, the valve being shown in position to close the dispensingorifice and open the inlet orifice;

FIG. 17a is a view similar to FIG. 17 but with the valve in open ordispensing position;

FIG. 18a is a view in side elevation at the left-hand end of the pumpand a mold bar as viewed from the right in FIGS. 1 and 20, the viewbeing taken along the line 18a-18a of FIGS. 3 and 14 with the pumpindexed into its left-hand position as in FIG. 15, and the valveoperating mechanism lowered into valve-opening position;

FIG. 18b is a view similar to FIG. 18a with a portion broken away, ofthe other or right-hand end of the pump and a mold bar, the view beingtaken along the line 18b--18b of FIG. 14;

FIG. 19 is a view in elevation of the pump and a mold bar assembly asviewed in FIG. 2, the view being taken from the line 19--19 of FIGS. 14and 18b;

FIG. 20 is a view in transverse vertical section through the pump, thesection being taken along the line 20--20 of FIG. 14, a pump pistonthere shown being at the end of a batter-dispensing stroke, the valveassociated with such piston being shown in closed position;

FIG. 20a is a fragmentary view showing the pump piston of FIG. 20 at theend of a suction stroke, the valve dispensing orifice being closed;

FIG. 21 is a view partially in elevation and partially in verticalsection through a mold bar assembly, the parts being shown in solidlines in mold closed position and in phantom lines in mold openposition, the section being taken along the line 21--21 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the core barunlatching mechanism, the mechanism being shown in solid lines about tobe operated, the core bar latching dog on the latching member beingshown in phantom lines elevated into its unlatched position;

FIG. 23 is a view in elevation of the core bar unlatching mechanism, theview being taken from the line 23--23 of FIG. 22, the latching memberbeing shown in solid lines in its latching position and in phantom linesin its inoperative position;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through the second andthird cam cases, the section being taken along the line 24--24 of FIGS.1, 1a and 32;

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary isolated view in plan of the air cylindercontrolling valves for the pump, for the air discharge of the cones, andfor the latch bar lock detecting mechanism, the view being taken fromthe line 25--25 of FIG. 1a

FIG. 26 is a view in transverse vertical section through the core barlatching mechanism, the section being taken on the line 26--26 of FIG.1;

FIG. 27 is a view in vertical transverse section, with parts brokenaway, through the first gear and first cam cases, the section beingtaken along the line 27--27 of FIGS. 1 and 1a;

FIG. 28 is an isolated fragmentary view in side elevation of the corebar lock failure detecting means;

FIG. 29 is an isolated fragmentary view in end elevation of the core barlock failure detecting means, as viewed from the right in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is an isolated view in end elevation of the core bar centeringmeans, the view being taken from the front of the machine and with thecore bar travelling away from the reader;

FIG. 31 is a view in plan of the core bar centering means of FIG. 30;and

FIG. 32 is a fragmentary view in plan of the driving mechanism at theforward end of the apparatus, such mechanism including the first gearcase, the first cam case, the combined second gear and cam case, and thethird cam case.

The illustrative machine has a mold filling section 10, an oven 11, anda conveyor 12 disposed in front of the section 10 for receiving bakedand trimmed cones discharged from the section 10. The section 10 has twolaterally spaced vertical plate-like frame members 14 and 15, the membernearer the reader in FIG. 1 being designated 14. Laterally spacedconveyor sprockets 16 are affixed to a horizontal cross shaft 17 whichis journalled in the frame members 14 and 15 as shown in FIG. 27.Similar sprockets 19 are affixed to a shaft 18 jounalled in framestructure at the rear end of the oven. Two similar conveyor chains 20each having laterally spaced links 23 are entrained over the sprockets16 and 19 as shown in FIG. 1. The sprockets 16 and 19 are driven by amotor 21, the motor shaft being connected by a flexible coupling to analigned longitudinally extending drive shaft 22 to which a worm 24(FIGS. 27 and 32) is affixed. Worm 24 meshes with a worm wheel 25 whichis affixed to that end of a cross shaft 26 which is disposed outwardlyof the frame member 14. A pinion 27 keyed to shaft 26 meshes with anidler gear 29 journalled on a fixed stub shaft 33, a pinion 30 affixedto gear 29 meshing with a larger gear 31 which is affixed to the shaft17 carrying the sprockets 16. The sprockets 19 at the rear end of themachine are driven by the shaft 22 through the medium of a gear box 32,a sprocket on the output shaft of the gear box being connected by achain 34 to a sprocket 35 secured to the shaft 18 carrying the conveyorsprockets, 19, as shown in FIG. 1.

The chains 20 are provided with supporting rollers 36, such rollersbeing journalled on stub shafts which connect successive links 23 of thechain together. Upper horizontal tracks 37 (FIG. 10) and lowerhorizontal tracks 39 (FIG. 5) disposed within and extending forwardlyfrom the oven support the respective upper and lower runs of saidchains. Mounted upon the chains 20 on transversely disposed mold barassemblies 45, to be described, are a plurality of molds 40, there beingtwo transversely aligned sets, each containing five molds, in each ofthe mold bar assemblies in the embodiment shown. Transversely disposedcore bars 86 carry cores 41 for cooperation with the molds 40. As willbe seen hereinafter, the core bars are disposed in mating cooperatingrelationship with the mold bar assemblies throughout the entire lengthof the chains 20 with the exception of a relatively short portion ofsection 10 of the machine in which the core bars are removed from themold bar assemblies and temporarily stored to permit the removal of thebaked cones from the molds and the filling of the molds prior to thereinsertion of cores therein before the re-entry of the assembled moldsand cores into the oven. The product produced by the illustrativeapparatus is a frusto-conical or flat bottomed cone or cup which isshown at 42 in FIG. 7.

The Mold Structure

As shown in FIG. 10, right angled brackets 44 are affixed to the chains20, the vertical flange of each bracket being disposed outwardly of theinner link 23 of the chain, and the other flange of the bracket beingdisposed horizontally and extending laterally inwardly. Mold barassemblies 45, which extend transversely of the machine between thespaced chains 20, are provided with ears 43 at their opposite ends, suchears being bolted to the horizontal flanges of the brackets 44. Themolds 40 of each mold bar assembly are split vertically along theirtransverse central planes, being formed of ten semi-frusto-conicalcavities in a fixed body portion 43, 47 and confrontingsemi-frusto-conical cavities in two pivoted body portions 49, eachhaving five such cavities (FIGS. 19 and 21). The leading mold barportion 47 and the trailing mold bar portions 49 are pivotally connectedby depending ears 46 at the ends and center of fixed portion 47,cooperating depending ears 50 on the ends of mold parts 49, andhorizontal stub shafs 51 through the sets of ears 46 and 50 adjacenttheir lower ends. The mold parts 47, 49 are forcibly held together, sothat the mold cavities are substantially liquid-tight, by stiff arcuatesprings 52 (four shown) which are disposed in vertical planeslogitudinally of the machine. One set of ears 46, 50 and a spring 52 aredisposed at each end of the mold bar 47, 49, and one set of ears 46, 50and two springs 52; one at each side of the last set of ears, aredisposed centrally of the machine between the two transversely alignedsets of five molds each formed by the mold parts 47, 49.

The trailing end of each of the springs 52 is pivotally connected by apin 54 to a projection 53 extending from the trailing edges of themovable mold bar portions 49. A first-class lever 56 at each end of amold bar assembly 47, 49 is pivoted intermediate its length on a stubshaft 51 which pivotally connects the fixed and movable mold bar parts47, 49 together at their lower ends. The leading ends of the levers 56are pivotally connected at 57 to curved links 59, the forward end ofeach of such links and springs 52 being pivotally connected at 60 to theouter free ends of arms 61 which are secured to and extend radially fromthe center and each end of a shaft 62 pivotally mounted at its ends inmold bar portion 43, 47.

The springs 52, the links 59, levers 56 and the lever arms 61 are soconstructed and arranged that when the mold bar parts 47 and 49 aretogether and the molds are thus closed as shown in FIG. 9b, the arms 61are inclined somewhat upwardly from the axis of pivot shaft 62. Thesprings 52 and the lever arms 61 in effect constitute a toggle which isin over-center position when the molds are closed, the ends of eachspring 52 then being spread and hence under tension so that the springsstrongly urge the mold parts 47 and 49 together. In the illustrativemachine, each spring 52 is somewhat more relaxed with the ends thereofcloser together when the molds are open as seen in phantom in FIGS. 9aand 21.

The portions of the mold bars 47, 49 which form the opposed halves of anindividual mold are designated 65 and 66 in FIG. 11. Such mold halvesmeet along side and bottom edges 67. Such engaging edges 67 arepreferably made relatively thin as shown, whereby to increase the unitpressure imposed thereon by the springs 52 to insure a good seal betweenthe closed mold halves. Also, the mold halves in each group or row offive are so made that when they are closed, the walls of the mold at themiddle of the row engage each other first and hence somewhat moreforcibly than the walls of the other molds, whereby to pre-stress thewalls of the middle mold and to prevent leakage of all of the molds whenthe same are subjected to heat.

The ends of the trailing arms of the levers 56 are provided with rollers64 which engage cam tracks, to be described, whereby to swing the levers56 clockwise (FIG. 9b) so as to open the molds at the location insection 10 of the machine wherein the baked cones are to be removed fromthe molds. When the molds are thus opened, as shown centrally in FIG.9a, the effective diameter of the springs 52 between pivots 54 and 60 isdecreased, and the tension thereof is diminished.

The Mold Opening and Closing Mechanism

The respective rollers 64 on the levers 56 at each end of the travellingmold bar assemblies are sequentially received within an open-ended cam"box" 80 adjacent each side of the machine (FIGS. 2 and 9a). Each cambox or track 80 has lower and upper surfaces 81 and 82. The tracks 80are formed in the outer free ends of two similar laterally spaced levers69 which are fixedly secured to a transverse rock shaft 70 journalled inthe side frame members 14 and 15 of the machine. A lever arm 71 (FIG. 2)affixed to the rock shaft 70 is pivotally connected to a vertical link72, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 74 to the end of asubstantially horizontal arm of a bell crank lever 75 mounted on a crossshaft 76. A cam follower roll 77 is journalled on the lower end of thesecond, substantially vertical arm of the bell crank 75. Such camfollower rides upon the surface of a suitable cam 79 (FIG. 27) which isfixed to the cross shaft 26 within the cam case 78. The cam 79 is ofsuch configuration that after the rollers 64 have entered the tracks 80the lever arms 69 are pivoted clockwise (FIG. 2) so as to lift saidtracks and swing the levers 56 clockwise and thus open the molds of thatparticular mold bar assembly which is approaching the product dischargestation. After the rollers 64 have passed through the raised cam tracks80, the same are moved down by the linkage 69, 71, 72, 75 and cam 79 orby resilient means to be in position to receive the rollers 64 on thenext mold bar assembly. The molds in the opened set thereof aremaintained stably open until after the baked cones have been removedtherefrom, following which the levers 56 are forcibly swungcounterclockwise(FIGS. 2 and 9a) to close the molds in readiness fortheir being charged with batter. The closing of the molds is effected asfollows. The followers 64, travelling with the molds, are receivedbeneath stationary upper cam tracks 84. Cam tracks 84 gradually rotatethe levers 56 counterclockwise as the molds travel to the right (FIG.9a). As the levers 56 approach their terminal, mold-closed position, therollers 64 enter slightly inclined tracks between cams 84 and lowerfixed cams 85. The rollers 64 are now trapped between the stationarycams 84, 85 and are gradually brought into their final, mold-closedposition (FIG. 9b).

The Core Bar Structure

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, there are provided core bars 86 which aredisposed transversely of the length of the machine. In the illustrativeembodiment the core bars have openings therethrough which receive tencores 41 in two aligned spaced sets of five cores each at each end ofthe bar. Each of the openings through the bar 86 through which the upperend of the cores 41 protrude is provided with a radially inwardlyextending annular flange 87, the opening in the core bar beneath suchflange being somewhat enlarged at 89. Each core 41 has an upper smallercircular cylindrical portion 90 which is joined to an intermediatelarger diametered circular cylindrical portion 91 by a transverseannular shoulder 93. A short sleeve 94 is affixed to the core coaxiallythereof as by being heat shrunk on portion 91 of the core. Beneathportion 91 the core 41 has a frusto-conical portion 92 which shapes theinner surface of the cone. The outer surface of sleeve 94 accuratelyengages the confronting annular internal surface 88 of the closed mold.

A coil compression spring 95 is disposed between the flange 87 and awasher on the shoulder 93 whereby forcibly to maintain the core in thedownward position thereof shown in FIG. 11 wherein the shoulder 98formed by the lower outer corner on the sleeve 94 engages an annularshoulder 99 on the mold halves. In such position the lower surface ofcore bar 86 is spaced somewhat from the upper edge surface of the closedmold. A ring 96 pinned to the cylindrical upper end portion 90 of thecore retains the core in the core bar 86 despite the lifting of thelatter. The mold halves are provided with a shallow annular groove 97which receives excess batter which is extruded upwardly from the mold asthe core 41 is inserted fully therewithin. The annular surface 88 of themold is provided with a plurality (four employed) of arcuate channels103 which receive any excess batter from groove 97 to form ears integralwith a rim on the cone formed in groove 97. The rim and ears are laterremoved from the baked cone by cone trimming means, to be described. Thecore bars 86 are provided with rollers 100 at their opposite ends, thecore bars being lifted from and reinserted in the mold cavities by meansto be described, which engage the rollers 100.

The construction of the mold and core and their manner of interactionare such that the cores are erected and accurately centered upon eachinsertion of the cores into the molds. The upper circular cylindricalpart 90 of each core fits loosely within the passage through its flange87 on the core bar 86. This permits the core 41 to tip in all directionsthrough an appreciable angle with respect to the core bar 86, and alsoto move an appreciable distance both laterally and longitudinally in theplane of the core bar. Upon the insertion of a core into its mold, theannular transverse shoulders 98 and 99, on the core and mold,respectively, are yieldingly brought into engagement by the spring 95,thereby "erecting" the core; that is, bringing its axis into coincidencewith the axis of the mold cavity. The circular cylindrical outer surfaceof the sleeve 94 engages the annular surface 88 above the mold cavityproper with considerable accuracy, therefore not only aiding theshoulders 98, 99 in erecting the core, but also centering the core withrespect to the axis of the mold cavity.

The Core Bar Lock

At each end of a core bar 86 there is provided a vertical transverselyextending slot 101 (FIG. 26) which is closed at its outer end by apartition 102 integral with the bar. Within the slot 101 there ispivotally mounted a latch 104 which is secured to the bar by a pivot pin105. The latch 104 has a depending portion 106, the lower end of whichcarries a laterally inwardly directed bifurcated finger 107 having twosimilar parts which cooperate with the opposite ends of latch pins 109mounted on a boss 108 on the mold assembly part 47. When the core bar 86has been mounted upon a transverse set of molds and has been pressedthereupon so as to compress the springs 95 associated with the cores,the fingers 107 on the latches 104 swing inwardly so that the spacedparts of the finger 107 lie on opposite sides of the boss and below therespective ends of latch pins 109 on the respective ends of the mold barpart 47. The latches 104 are stopped in the locking position in whichthey fully engage the pins 109 by engagement between stop fingers 110 onthe latches and stop lugs 111 on the core bar 86. The laterally outerend of each of the latches 104 is provided with a vertically disposedlatch release lug 112 which engages a respective latch release cam, tobe described, fixedly mounted on the machine frame.

As the molds containing the baked product, with the cores mountedtherein, approach the product discharge station, the core latching meansis released preparatory to the removal of the cores from the mold. Twosimilar core bar depresser means 114 (FIGS. 2, 4, and 22) are mounted onthe opposite fixed frames of the machine. Each of means 114 includes abell crank lever which is pivoted on a fixed stub shaft 115, one arm 116of the lever extending generally horizontally in the direction of travelof the molds, and the other arm 120 thereof extending generallyvertically. The mold entering end of the lower surface of the arm 116 isinclined gradually downwardly and rearwardly, being joined at its rearend to a horizontal surface 119. The bell crank lever 116, 120 isconstantly urged in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2) by a coil depressionspring 124 which acts between the upper end of the arm 120 and anabutment on the end of a fixed rod, over which the spring 124 istelescoped and which extends rearwardly through an enlarged hole in theupper end of the arm 120 to a fixed part of the frame. The two coilcompression springs 124 are of such strength that when the rollers 100on the opposite ends of a core bar have reached the surfaces 119 of therespective core bar depresser means 114, the bar 86 will have been moveddown and the coil compression springs 95 associated with the respectivecores will have been compressed sufficiently so that the fingers 107 ofthe latching means 104 will be disengaged from the latching pins 109 andfree to pivot about pin 105.

After the core latching means 104 have been thus released, the same arefree to be pivoted upwardly clockwise (FIG. 23) by engagement of thelower ends of the latch release lugs 112 with the upper surfaces 129 oftwo opposite ramp members 126 which are mounted on fixed portions of themachine frame in the path of the lugs 112. The upper surfaces 129 of theramps 126 first incline upwardly and rearwardly and then merge through acurved zone with a short horizontal rear portion. When the rollers 100of the core bar being released from a mold have reached the positionthereof shown in phantom lines at the right in FIG. 22, the latchmembers 104 will have been tipped upwardly into the position shown inphantom lines in FIG. 23 in which the latching finger 107 has beenpulled laterally outwardly from beneath the mold bar pin 109. When thelatching members are held in such position, the core bar 86 is free forvertical removal from the mold bar assembly.

Core Removal and Storage

Each set of oppositely disposed links forming the chains 20 is providedwith a core bar storage means 132 which is secured to bracket 44 inadvance of a mold bar assembly connected thereto. Means 132 is in theform of a U-shaped member or cradle 134, the root of said member beingsecured to a link 23, 44 with the forwardly and rearwardly spaced legsthereof extending upwardly from the link and in alignment therewith.Seats 135 are provided in the upper inner edges of the legs of members134. Each pair of the opposed laterally spaced cradles 134 providesseats for receiving the opposite ends of a core bar 86 which has beenremoved from an aligned set of molds in a mold bar assembly disposedimmediately in advance of such cradles. Such relationship is shown inFIGS. 6 and 8. The core bars are successively removed from the mold setsand are transferred to the following adjacent storage means 132 by meanswhich are particularly shown in FIGS. 12 and 12a.

On each side of the core removal station there are two longitudinallyspaced vertical bars 136, the two forward bars 136 and the two barsbeing respectively transversely aligned. The bars 136 at each side ofthe machine are secured together in fixed spaced relation by alongitudinally extending tie bar 139 which is clamped to the upper endsof said bars at 140. The forward and rear ends of the tie bar 139 beyondthe bars 136 freely extend through a vertically arranged forward corebar lift member 141a and a rear core bar lift member 141b, the passages142 through the lift members slidably and guidingly receiving the tierod 139. The forward members 141a and the rear members 141b on oppositesides of the machine are also respectively transversely aligned. Asecond tie rod 144 disposed parallel to the tie rod 139 is secured atits ends at 145 to the left members 141a, 141b. Rod 144 is slidablyreceived in passages 146 through the bars 136. Third, short horizontalrods 147 are fixedly secured to the bars 136 and have sliding engagementwith the lift members 141a, 141b by means of passages 149 in suchmembers receiving the rods 147. Each of the lift members 141a, 141b isprovided with a respective cradle member 150a, 150b on its upper end,each of members 150a, 150b having a broad V-shaped recess therein toreceive the rollers 100 and thereby support the core bars 86. It will beapparent that the lift members 141a, 141b and the members 150a, 150bcarried thereby move synchronously and instantaneously in the samedirection at all times.

The thus described core bar lifting means including the bars 136, thelift members 141a, 141b, the tie rods connecting and guiding them, andthe roller receiving members 150a, 150b are periodically lifted in timedrelation with conveyor 20 so that the rollers 100 on the opposite endsof one core bar are received within the recesses in the members 150a, asshown at the left in FIG. 12a, and the rollers 100 on another core barare simultaneously received within the recesses in the members 150b. Thecore bar lifting members 141a, 141b are so disposed longitudinally ofthe machine that the members 150a at the left engage the rollers 100 onthe core bar 86 immediately in advance of the product discharge stationwhereas the members 150b at the right engage the rollers 100 on a corebar 86 rearwardly of the station of the machine in which the molds arecharged with metered quantities of batter. The left-hand members 141a,150a lift a core bar 86 from a mold assembly 47, 49 and lower the sameonto the oncoming storage cradles 134 to the left of and trailing themold assembly from which it is removed. At the same time the liftmembers 141b, 150b at the right (FIG. 12) remove a core bar 86, 100 froma storage station 134 and lower it upon the adjacent oncoming mold barassembly which has just been provided with batter.

The core transferring means shown in FIGS. 12 and 12a is periodicallyactuated in a novel manner by the following means. Two longitudinallyspaced horizontal transverse rock shafts 154 are journalled at theirends in frame members 14 and 15. Adjacent each end of each shaft 154inwardly of the side frames there is affixed a lever arm 155, the outerend of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a respective bar136 by a pivot pin 156, said arms 155 being parallel. Also affixed tothe rock shafts 154 adjacent the frame member 14 are two lever arms 157,the free ends of which are pivotally connected to a tie bar 159 by pivotpins 160. Also pivotally connected to pivot 160 of the forward lever arm157 is a push rod 164 which is reciprocated by means to be described.The parts 141b, 144 and 141a of the core bar transfer means arereciprocated longitudinally by second push rods 161 on each side of themachine, each rod 161 being pivotally connected as by clevis means whichis adjustably secured at 162 to the tie bar 144. Rods 161 and 164 arereciprocated in timed relationship so as to move each of a pair ofspaced core bars 86 engaged by the members 150a and 150b in the mannergenerally illustrated in FIG. 13, to be described hereinafter.

The Drive for the Core Bar Transfer Means

The extension of the drive shaft 22 intermediate its length runs througha gear box 183 adjacent the entering or front end of the oven as shownin FIG. 1. Connected to the drive shaft in gear box 183 is a worm 169which meshes with a worm wheel 171 affixed to a stub shaft 170 as shownin FIGS. 5 and 24. A pinion shaft 172 on shaft 170 meshes with anintermediate idler gear 174 which in turn drives a gear 175 affixed to across shaft 176 journalled in frame plates 14, 15. Fixedly mounted onthe lefthand end of the shaft 176 as it is shown in FIG. 24 is a cam 184which horizontally reciprocates the core bar transfer means shown inFIGS. 12 and 12a in the following manner.

A rock shaft 177 is journalled in the frame members 14 and 15 of themachine. Affixed to the shaft 177 adjacent each end thereof inwardly ofthe respective side frame member is an arm 179 (FIG. 3) which isconnected at its upper end to the respective push rod 161 by a pivot pin180. As shown in FIG. 1, affixed to the rock shaft 177 at the outer endthereof is a cam follower arm 181 having a cam follower roll 182 on thefree end thereof. Roll 182 cooperates with the above-mentioned cam 184affixed to shaft 176 whereby to rock the shaft 177 and to reciprocatethe core bar transfer means shown in FIGS. 12 and 12a horizontally.

On a transverse rock shaft 185 (FIGS. 3 and 5) journalled in framemember 14 there is mounted a cam follower lever arm 186 having a camfollower roll 187 on its outer end. A cam 189 in cam case 183 is affixedto the shaft 176; the cam follower roll 187 rises upon cam 189 to rockthe shaft 185 and thus to oscillate an arm 190 affixed to said shaftinwardly of frame member 14 as shown in FIG. 3. The upper end of arm 190is pivotally connected to the forward end of the push rod 164 by a pivotpin 191; the rear end of the push rod 164 is pivotally connected to thelever arm 157 on rock shafts 154, as we have seen above. Theconfigurations of the cams 184 and 189 are such that the core bartransfer means moves members 150a, 150b and hence the core bars 86,100substantially in the manner shown in FIG. 13.

The Motion of the Core Bar Transfer Means

In FIG. 13 there is schematically shown the motion of a core barsupporting roller 100 as the core bar on which it is mounted istransferred from a mold bar assembly 45 after it passes a station 192 toan adjacent trailing core bar storage cradle 134 at a station 193. Itmust be remembered, in considering FIG. 13, that the conveyor chains 20and the mold bar assemblies and core bar cradles 134 carried therebymove continuously at a constant speed from left to right in FIGS. 2 and13. Thus, while a core bar 86 is supported and being moved by thetransfer means, the cradle 134 behind or trailing (on chain 20) the moldbar assembly from which the core bar was removed will travel throughstation 192 to station 193. Substantially the same motion is imparted toa core bar transferred by members 150b from a storage cradle 134 to theadjacent trailing mold bar assembly after the mold cavities thereof havebeen charged with batter.

The core bar transfer or manipulating means is driven horizontally bycam 184 so as to track or move synchronously with the molds 40 andcradles 134 while the core bar transferring operation is taking place.Vertical motion of the transfer means is imparted thereto by cam 189.After accelerating horizontally from its forward or left-hand terminalposition (FIGS. 12 and 13) and moving upwardly, the roller engagingmembers 150a lie beneath and engage the rollers 100 at station 192. Themembers 150a continue to travel horizontally rearwardly for a shortdistance at the same speed as conveyor 20, following which they rise ashort distance to break the cores free from the cones, again travel ashort distance horizontally, and then to rise and simultaneously travelhorizontally so as to trace the reverse crossing loop shown in FIG. 13.The roller 100 finally descends to station 193, where its mold bar 86 isreceived in the next adjacent core bar storage means 134, such storagemeans having travelled to station 193 during the time that the core barhas been travelling through the described path including the reverseloop. The angles at which the lower ends of the loop lie with respect tothe vertical, taken with the horizontal travel of the molds, is suchthat the cores leave the mold cavities substantially along the axesthereof and enter the storage means 134 substantially normal thereto.

The forward core bar manipulating members 150b trace the same path asthe members 150a in picking up a core bar from a core bar storage means134 and reinserting the cores of such bar in the molds, now charged withbatter, of the mold bar which lies immediately behind such storage meanson the conveyor 20. The cores are centered longitudinally in the chargedmolds, after such reinsertion, by reason of the accurate positioning ofthe core bar rollers 100 in the V-shaped seats in the core bar liftingmeans 150b, and the accurate timing of the means 141b, 150b with respectto the travel of the molds. The vertical jogging of the core bars andcores does little to disturb such longitudinal centering, since thecores are erected at the lower terminus of each reciprocation of thecores by engagement between the shoulders 98 and 99, and are alsoclosely held by the confronting annular outer surface of sleeve 94 onthe core and the annular surface 88 in the mold. The core bar centeringmeans 458, to be described, and the above described core erecting andguiding means on the core and mold, maintain the core laterally centeredafter its insertion in the mold, during the core jogging, and as thecore bar is finally latched to the mold.

Cone Removal

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cone removing mechanism atthe discharge station includes a transverse manifold 194 from whichthere depend ten suckers 195, one over each longitudinal row of molds.The lower end of the sucker is of downwardly diverging frusto-conicalshape, such lower end being receivable within the upper end of the coneproduct. The manifold 194 and suckers 195 are supported and operated asfollows.

Mounted on fixed structure above the machine is a transverse tubularrock shaft 196 to which parallel upper links 199 are secured by fittings197 (FIG. 4). The other ends of the links 199 are pivotally secured bypivot means 201 to a drum 200 mounted on the upper end of a central tube198 which supports the manifold 194. The interior of the tube 198 andthus of manifold 194 is periodically subjected to reduced pressure by avacuum source which is connected to the upper end of the tube 198through a flexible conduit 202. A lever arm 205 is connected to the rockshaft 196 by a second fitting 204, lever 205 being oscillated by meansof a push rod 206 which is connected to the outer end of the lever bypivot pin 207. The lower end of the push rod 206 is connected to theouter end of a lever arm 209 by pivot pin 210, the lever 209 beingfixedly secured to a rock shaft 211 journalled in fixed frame structureof the machine. Secured to shaft 211 is a further lever 212 having a camfollower roll 214 mounted on its free end. The cam follower 214cooperates with a cam 215 which as shown in FIGS. 4 and 32 is fixedlyconnected to the transverse shaft 26 within cam case 78. The cam 215 isof such configuration and the lever arms and thrust rod forming thelinkage between it and the tube 198 are of such sizes that they tend toreciprocate the tube 198 and the manifold 194 in a substantiallyvertical direction.

As the tube 198 is raised and lowered, however, it is oscillated in alongitudinal vertical plane so that it alternately lies in the fullline, generally vertical position shown in FIG. 2 in which it cooperateswith and tracks a cone to be discharged from a mold, and in a positionshown in phantom lines wherein the suckers 195 overlie a dischargeconveyor 237. Such oscillation of the tube 198 is effected by thefollowing means. A fitting 216 is secured to the tube 198 intermediateits length, the fitting having spaced parallel vertically disposed earsto which an end of a link 217 is secured by a pivot pin 219. The otherend of the link 217 is connected to the upper free end of a lever arm220, fixedly connected to a rock shaft 222, by a pivot pin 221. A secondlever arm 224 which is fixedly connected to the rock shaft 222 ispivotally connected at its free end by a pivot pin 225 to the upper endof a push rod 226. A lever arm 227 which is fixedly connected to a rockshaft 230 has the free end thereof connected to the rod 226 by a pivotpin 229. A lever arm 231 fixedly connected to the rock shaft 230 carriesa cam follower roll 232 on its free end, such roll cooperating with abox cam 234 which is fixedly secured to the transverse driven shaft 26.The cam track of cam 234 has a configuration which is more clearly shownin FIG. 2.

The suckers 195 are employed to insure that the cone product will remainin the rear, fixed parts 47 of the mold cavities when the molds areopened. Thus, the suckers are introduced into the cones shortly beforethe cones are discharged from the molds, the suckers travellinghorizontally with or tracking the cones in the molds for a shortdistance as the molds are being opened in the manner described above.The forward, movable mold parts 49 are then swung forwardly anddownwardly (FIG. 2) about pivots 51. Immediately thereafter, the suckers195 are moved forwardly (to the left) a short distance so as to pull thevertical and peripheral ribs on the cone product free from the groovesin the fixed rear portions 47 of the molds. Thereafter, the suckers areraised and are then swung clockwise, as above described, and released tofall onto conveyor 237.

The cone removing mechanism is provided with means which forciblyremoves the cone from the sucker 195 when the sucker occupies thephantom line position thereof shown in FIG. 2. Such removal of the coneis accomplished by means including an elbow fitting which is secured tothe manifold 194, such fitting being provided with a flexible feedconduit 236 through which compressed air is periodically applied (by theoperation of valve 374, FIG. 25) to the suckers 195 after the suckershave been cut off from the vacuum source by the operation of valve 451(FIG. 3). Cones received by the conveyor 237 are fed downwardly to aplurality of transversely aligned cone trimmers 539, to be describedhereinafter, which shear any flash which may be present from the upperedge of the cone. Normally, the molds are, in effect, somewhatovercharged deliberately, so that the cones, when extracted from themolds, have an annular collar formed in the groove 97 and four ears,formed in the scallops or grooves 103, projecting upwardly from theannular collar.

Mold Charging Pump and Control

The batter metering pump is particularly shown in FIGS. 14-20a,inclusive, wherein it is generally designated 244. As shown in FIGS. 1and 3, the pump is supported above conveyor 20 and the molds onhorizontal support beams 245 affixed to the frame of the machine.Depending from an upper forward cross shaft 246 are two similar links247, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the frame whichcarries the pump by stub pivot shafts 249. Similar depending links 251are secured to the rear cross shaft 250 at their upper ends and by pivotstub shafts 252 to the pump supporting frame at their lower ends. Acrank lever arm 254 which is fixedly connected to the rock shaft 250adjacent frame plate 14 is pivotally connected to a thrust rod or link255 by a pivot pin 256. The lower end of rod 255 is pivotally connectedby a pivot pin 257 to the outer free end of a lever arm 259 which isfixedly secured to a cross shaft 260 (FIG. 5). A second lever arm 262,secured to shaft 260 outwardly of frame member 14, carries a camfollower 264 on its outer end, such cam follower cooperating with a cam265 in cam case 183. Said cam is fixedly secured to the shaft 176 asshown in FIG. 5 and is of such configuration that the pump supportingframe and the pump body carried thereby are cyclically oscillated by thelinkage 262, 259, 255, 254, 251 to move in the same direction and at thesame speed as the molds, that is, track the molds, during that portionof the cycle in which the pump is charging the molds with batter,thereby avoiding any spilling of the batter in such operation.

Turning now to FIGS. 14, 19 and 20, it will be seen that the pump unit244 includes a frame which is cyclically reciprocated longitudinal ofthe machine as described above so as to move with the molds during themold charging operation, and a pump body embodying a plurality of pumpsand carried by the pump frame so as to be reciprocable therewith in thedirection of travel of the molds. The pump body, however, is so mountedupon the pump frame that it may be selectively indexed in a directiontransverse to the longitudinally moving molds so that successive moldsin a moving longitudinal row thereof are charged by different successivepumps. This makes it possible for successive molds in each longitudinalrow, i.e., a row consisting of corresponding molds in all of the moldbar assemblies, to produce cones of different composition, texture,and/or color. In the illustrative machine the pump is so constructed andarranged as to deliver four different batters to the molds of eachseries of four in one longitudinally moving row thereof.

The pump body supporting frame includes two spaced parallel members 270which extend transversely of the machine, said members being joined bycross members 271. Members 272, in the form of inverted U's, are securedto the members 270 adjacent their ends, members 272 carrying upperhorizontal track members 274 and lower track members 275 parallelthereto, as shown in FIG. 20. The pump body is provided at its oppositeends with vertical plate members 280 and 284. The pump assembly 276includes a plurality of rollers 277 journalled on stub shafts 279. Thetracks and the rollers permit the pump assembly 276 to be movedlongitudinally of the frame members 270 (transversely of conveyor 20)through a distance which equals that between the center lines of thefirst and fourth of the molds in a transverse row thereof.

Affixed to the plate member 280 is a horizontal plate 281 which forms aplatform, a vertical plate 282 being secured to the outer end of plate281 (FIG. 18b). Beneath the plate 281 there are provided paralleldepending ears 285; an eye 286 is pivotally connected to the ears 285 bya pivot pin 288. The eye 286 is adjustably mounted to the end of a pushrod 287 which indexes the pump body transversely of conveyor 20 by meansto be described.

The Pump Body

The pump body proper is designated 289. As shown in FIG. 20, such bodyis provided with four batter supply passages extending longitudinallythereof (transversely of the machine), such passages being designated,respectively, Y, G, B, and P for the colors yellow, green, brown, andpink of the four respective batters. The G passage designated 290 isconnected by a cross passage 291 to its respective vertical passage 292(FIG. 20a). The passage 292 connects at its lower end with a largerhorizontal passage 294 which contains a batter pumping cylinder andpiston and a rotary valve, to be described. The pump body 289 ismaintained cool in order to avoid premature setting of dough or battertherein by the provision of cooling passages 293, 298 therein, coolwater entering the passage 293 flowing through a cross conduit 303 andthence into the passage 298 to be discharged from the latter. It will beunderstood that the pump body 289 is provided with a plurality ofvertical passages 292, there being 14 of such passages in the embodimentshown, and that every fourth passage 292 is connected to a G supplypassage, intervening passages 292 being connected to respective passagesY, B and P in sequence. Each passage 292 opens into a differenthorizontal passage or pump chamber 294.

Within each passage or chamber 294 there is fixedly positioned a pumpsleeve 295 at one end thereof and a valve sleeve 296 in the other endthereof. The axially inner radially outer edge of the pump sleeve orcylinder 295 is provided with an annular groove 297 which receives theend of a flange 301 of a rotary valve having a body 299. A flange 300extends radially from such body, the above-mentioned flange 301extending axially from the outer edge of the flange 300. Disposed inalignment with the passage 292 is a pump discharge port 302 throughwhich batter flows downwardly into the molds when the parts are in thecorrect position as described above. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 17a, theflange 301 of the valve is provided with a first lower port 304 and asecond upper port 305.

The valve body 299 and the flange 301 thereon are turned from the valveclosed position to receive batter (FIG. 17) into the valve open positionto discharge batter (FIG. 17a) and vice versa by a valve operating leverarm 306 which is controlled in a manner to be described. When the valveis closed, with port 304 out of alignment with the discharge port 302 ofthe pump body, the port 305 of the valve is in registry with the passage292. A pumping stroke of the pump piston with the valve in such closedposition (FIG. 20) serves only to return a small amount of batterupwardly through passage 292 toward the batter supply means, not shown.When the valve is open as shown in FIG. 17a, port 304 is in registrywith port 302, whereas port 305 of the valve is out of registry withpassage 292. A batter dispensing stroke of the pump plunger, therefore,forwards batter from within the valve flange 301 downwardly through thepump discharge port 302 and into an open mold 40.

Each pump within the pump body 289 is provided with a piston 307 whichslides within the sleeve 295. The pistons are driven to the right (FIG.20) for a batter dispensing stroke by an elongated bar 313 which isconnected to the outer end 309 of reduced diameter of all of the pistonrods 308 of the pump pistons. The bar 313 is actuated by two similarparallel levers 312 which are affixed to a rock shaft 311 which isjournalled at its ends in the plate members 280, 284 on the pump body.The lower ends of the lever arms 312 are connected to the bar 313 bymeans of links 314, one end of the links being connected to said bar andhence to the piston rods by pivot pins 315 and the other being connectedto the lever arms 312 by pivot pins 316. Affixed to the shaft 311 at oneend thereof (FIG. 14) is a lever arm 317 which is oscillated by adouble-acting air cylinder 318 which is pivotally mounted upon the pumpbody by means of pivot shafts 319 which support it between plate members280 and 282. The piston rod 320 of the cylinder 318 is provided with anear 321 at its outer end, such ear being received in the clevis end ofthe lever arm 317 and pivotally connected thereto by a pin 322.

The Pump Valve Operating Means

As shown in FIGS. 14, 18a, 18b and 20, two horizontal sleeves extendacross the top of the pump frame members 270 and are secured thereto;the right-hand sleeve in FIG. 14 is designated 324 and the left-handsleeve is designated 325. Right- and left-hand bell cranks 326, 327 aremounted upon shafts 328 journalled in the respective sleeves. Such bellcranks have upper substantially vertical arms 329 and lower generallyhorizontal arms 332, the upper arms being connected for equal angularmovement by connecting links 330 which are secured to the arms 329 bypivot pins 331. Vertical slides 334 are mounted in suitable guides onthe pump frame, such slides being connected to the outer end of therespective lever arm 332 by a pivot pin 335. The slides 334, which movevertically through equal distances upon the rotation of the bell cranks326, 327, have seats 336 at their lower ends (FIGS. 19 and 20), suchseats receiving an insert block 337 of generally L cross section. Thelower horizontal portion 339 of the insert block forms a continuoushorizontal lower track. Integral with or secured to the insert blockabove and parallel to the lower track 339 is an interrupted upper trackformed of two longitudinally spaced blocks 340 (FIGS. 15 and 15a). Thelower track 339 and the upper track forming members 340 are spaceduniformly to form a roller confining track 342 which is of such width asaccurately to receive rollers 341 on the ends of the respective valveoperating levers 306. It will be seen that the upper and lower trackforming members 339 and 340, being mounted on the pump frame 270, arestationary in the direction transverse to the direction of conveyortravel, but oscillate with the pump and pump-carrying frame as the sameare swung on supporting links 247, 251. Accordingly, the pump body 289and the pump pistons and valves therein move along the length of thetrack members 339, 340 into a plurality (four are illustrated) ofindexed positions therealong, one of which is shown in FIG. 15 andanother of which is shown in FIG. 15a. The track forming members 339,340 are selectively raised in order to close all of the valves 301 byreason of the engagement of all the rollers 341 with the lower track339. It is while the track 339, 340 is raised and the valves are allclosed (FIG. 17) that the pump body and valves are indexed by means tobe described. When the track forming members 339, 340 are lowered, onlythose valves whose rollers 341 lie beneath the upper track members 340are opened for the dispensing of batter to aligned molds therebeneath.

The selective raising and lowering of the track members 339, 340 iseffected by a second double-acting air cylinder 345 (FIG. 14) which ispivotally secured at one end to a bracket affixed to one of the framemembers 270. The piston rod 346 of motor 345 is provided with a clevis347 at its outer end, the clevis receiving the upper end of a lever 349therewithin and being connected thereto by a pivot pin 350. Lever 349 isrigidly connected with bell crank 327 and hence with bell crank 326through links 330. Thus, oscillation of lever 349 effects verticaloscillation of track 339.

Valves Controlling Cylinders 318 and 345

As shown in FIGS. 1a, 25 and 32, a chain 354 extends from a sprocket 355affixed to shaft 176 to a sprocket 356 affixed to a short horizontalshaft 357. Shaft 357, which extends outwardly through side frame member15, carries on its outer end a cam drum 359 carrying three cams 360, 361and 375. The cams 360 and 361 operate valves which control fluidpressures in cylinders 318 and 345, respectively. A cam follower roll362 on a yoke 364 controls plungers of a valve 365 for the cylinder 318.A similar cam follower cooperating with cam 361 is supported on a yokewhich operates a valve 366 for cylinder 345. Connected between the valve365 and the cylinder 318 are inlet and outlet conduits 367 and 369 forthe cylinder. Similar conduits 370 and 371 extend between the valve 366and the cylinder 345. The cams 360 and 361 are provided with suitablelobes on their peripheries whereby to operate the double-actingpiston-cylinder motors 318 and 345 in reverse directions in the desiredtime sequence.

Disposed on the cam drum 359 is a third cam 375 which operates a coneblow off valve 374. The valve 374 controls a source of compressed air,and at the required time discharges such air to the above-mentionedconduit 236 which is connected to the fitting 235 immediately above thesuckers 195. A cam follower lever which extends from the valve 374carries a cam follower roll 376 on its outer end. The cam 375 carries asingle lobe which cooperates with the roll 376 to open the normallyclosed valve 374 at the proper time to blow the cones off the suckers195. Thereafter, the valve is closed so that the sucker may bereconnected to a source of vacuum at the proper time as explained above.

The Pump Body Indexing Means

The above-described indexing of the pump body whereby it consecutivelydispenses four different kinds of batter to four successive molds in arow of longitudinally aligned molds is effected as follows. A cam case379 disposed on the left-hand side of the machine as it is viewed fromthe front or left in FIGS. 1 and 32 houses two peripheral cams 424 and434 on cross shaft 176, and also a drive from the shaft 176 to a pumpindexing box cam 384 journalled on a stub shaft 382. Such drive is byway of a pinion 380 affixed to the shaft 176 and a larger gear 381meshing therewith (FIG. 24), such gear and box cam 384 being integral. Acam follower roll 385 (FIG. 1a) is journalled on the outer end of an arm386 which is affixed to a stub shaft 387 journalled in the frame 15 ofthe machine. A second arm 389 extending oppositely from arm 386 is alsoaffixed to the shaft 387. A first, lower link 390, connected to the arm389 by a pivot pin 391, extends upwardly to be connected by a pin 392 toa first, generally horizontal arm 394 of a bell crank which isjournalled on the frame of the machine at 395 (FIGS. 1a and 5). Thesecond, generally vertical arm 396 of the bell crank is connected to theouter end of the above-discussed link 287 which is pivotally connectedto an end of the pump body assembly 276. The cam 384, one suitableconfiguration of which is more particularly shown in FIG. 1a, is a fourposition cam whereby the pump body assembly 276 may be successivelylaterally indexed from a terminal position to three additional positionsand returned either by similar indexing or a single continuous motion.The pivotal connectors 397 and 288 are of the type known as "Spherco"connectors which permit substantial misalignment between the connectedparts without binding.

Core Bar Re-Insertion

After the pump 244 has dispensed the requisite metered quantity ofbatter into a transverse row of molds A (FIG. 3) travellingtherebeneath, the core bar B which is held in the core bar storage means134 immediately in advance of such row of molds on chains 20 islaterally centered, as hereinafter described, and lifted by the core barlifting and transferring means 150b (FIGS. 3 and 12-13, inclusive) andis placed so that the cores are inserted into such recently chargedmolds A when the latter have moved to a position C near the entrance toa jogging track 406, 407 to be next described. The motion of the corebar while being thus transferred and re-inserted is the same as thatwhich it had when it was removed from the molds (FIG. 13), the core barlifting means "tracking" the molds, that is, moving the core barhorizontally with the molds in such manner that the cores enter themolds substantially centrally and in a vertical position concentric withthe mold cavities. Upon the re-insertion of the cores 41 into the molds,the lugs 112 on core bar latching pawls 104 engage lobes 405 at theforward ends of horizontal tracks 404 of a core bar supporting andjogging means on both sides of the machine to thereby pivot the latchpawls to the phantom line position shown in FIG. 23

A short time after the core bar is released by saddles 150b, the corebar rollers enter a core bar jogging track 406, 407, and the lugs 112ride down onto the main extended parts of the tracks 404 which continueto hold the latches 104 out of engagement with pins 109.

Disposed laterally outwardly of the tracks 404 are the lower tracks 407of the core jogging means, the opposite tracks 407 being laterallyspaced for engagement by the rollers 100 on the opposite ends of thecore bars 86. The tracks 404 are secured to tracks 407 and move inunison therewith in a manner and for a purpose to be next described.

The Core Jogging Means

The entering end of the track 407 which is inclined rearwardly andupwardly is so located relative to the rear end of the lobe 405 that asthe dogs 112 on the core bar run down the rear ends of the lobes therollers 100 on the ends of the core bars engage the track 407. Thejogger also has upper horizontal tracks 406 which are parallel to thetracks 407 and spaced therefrom a distance slightly greater than thediameter of rollers 100. The upper and lower tracks 406 and 407 areconnected by longitudinally spaced vertical strap members 409. The upperends of the strap members 409 are connected by pivot pins 410 to theouter ends of first generally horizontal upper arms 411 of pairs of bellcrank levers 412, 414 that are pivotally mounted at 413 on fixedbrackets 418. The rear lever 414 has a vertical arm 415 which isconnected to the vertical arm 416 of the forward bell crank lever 412 bya link 417 which is connected at its rear end by a pivot pin 419 to thearm 415 and at its forward end by pivot pin 420 to the arm 416. Sincethe stub shafts 413 are located in the same horizontal plane and thearms 415 and 416 of the bell crank levers connected by the link 417 areof equal length, the tracks 406, 407 of the jogging means are maintainedparallel and horizontal at all times.

The tracks 404, 406 and 407 of the jogging means are moved verticallythrough a short distance a number of times during the travel of therolls 100 of a core bar rearwardly between the tracks 406, 407, therebyvertically jogging the core bars and the cores thereon. In the presentembodiment the core bar is raised and lowered through a total of sixcycles during such travel of a core bar. The jogging means insures thecomplete filling of the void in each mold cavity between the mold andthe core, and permits gas and steam to escape from the molds before thecores are clamped and locked in their fully inserted position.

The drive for the tracks of the jogging means is effected as follows. Across shaft 422, journalled at its opposite ends in the side framemembers of the machine, has an arm 424 affixed thereto, such armcarrying a cam follower roll 425 which cooperates with a core joggingcam 426 affixed to shaft 176. Such cam, the cam follower, and the arm424 are located within the cam case 379 as shown in FIG. 1a. Inwardly ofthe side frame members of the machine there is fixedly mounted at eachend of the cross shaft 422 a second arm 427. The upper free end of eacharm 427 is connected to the rear end of a respective link 429 by a pivotpin 430, the forward end of each link 429 being connected to therespective vertical arm 416 of the forward bell crank lever by a pivotpin 431.

Vacuum for Cone Transfer

Affixed to the shaft 176 within the cam case 379 there is a cam 434(FIG. 24) which actuates the vacuum valve 451 for supplying reducedpressure to the suckers 195. A lever arm 435 (FIG. 3) affixed to a shaft436 carries a cam follower roll 438 cooperating with the cam 434. Alever arm 437 affixed to shaft 436 is connected to an upwardly extendinglink 439 by a pivot pin 440 at its lower end. The upper end of the link439 is connected by a pivot pin 441 to an arm 442 which is connected toa cross shaft 444. Also affixed to such shaft is a second upstanding arm445, the upper end of which is connected to a cross link 446 by a pivotpin 447. The other end of the link 446 is pivotally connected by aclevis and pin connection 449 to the valve rod 450 of the vacuum valve451. The valve 451 is connected by the flexible conduit 202 to themanifold 194 to which the cone extracting suckers 195 are connected. Thevalve is also connected to a suitable source of vacuum (not shown)through a conduit 452. The cam 434 and the linkage between it and thevalve 451 is so constructed and arranged that vacuum is applied to thesuckers 195 only when the suckers have been inserted into the tops ofthe baked cones in the molds (FIG. 2), and that vacuum is cut off fromthe suckers when they are in the cone discharge position thereof shownin phantom lines in FIG. 2.

Core Bar Centering Means

Since the core bars and the cores carried thereby may get out of lateralalignment with the molds during the time that they are removed therefromand transferred to and from the core bar storage means, and to guardagainst this possibility, the apparatus may be provided with means whichcenters the core bars laterally with respect to the rows of molds towhich they are to be applied. Core bar centering means 458 areaccordingly provided in the machine, such means, which is shown moreparticularly in FIGS. 30 and 31, being mounted upon the rear members141b which lift the core bars from the storage means 134 on the chains20 and lower them onto the mold bar assemblies which have been chargedwith batter. One such core centering means is shown carried by theright-hand member 141b in FIG. 30. It is to be understood that theopposite member 141b carries a similar core bar centering means but ofopposite hand.

The core bar centering means 458 is provided with a body 461 which isaffixed to the horizontal plate portion 459 of the core bar liftingmeans 150b. Mounted on the body 461 is a pawl 462 which pivots about avertical pivot pin 464 connecting it to the body 461. The pawl isprovided with a cam plate 465, the laterally inner surface of which isconvexly curved as shown (FIG. 31) and is so positioned vertically as tocooperate with the outer ends of the stub shafts on the core bars 86which carry rollers 100. The cam 465 is secured to the pawl by machinescrews 466 as shown. The pawl is forcibly urged counterclockwise aboutthe axis of the pivot pin 464 (FIG. 31) by a coil compression spring469, the outer end of which receives a spring guide pin 470 affixed to avertical abutment plate 467. The spring 469 constantly urges the pawl462 toward a terminal inner position in which the pawl contacts anabutment member 471 on the body 461. The two opposing core bar centeringmeans are so disposed on their respective members 141b that when a corebar is correctly centered it will move between cam plates 465 withoutengaging the same. If, however, the core bar is out of alignmentlaterally of the conveyor 20 and cores 40, one end will engage one ofthe cam plates 465 and be forced by spring 469 laterally of the machineto the extent permitted by stop 471. The core bar will thus be centeredwith respect to the molds as the core bar is being transferred by means150b.

The Core Bar Latch Closing Means

The machine is provided with core bar latch actuating means 474-476 oneach side thereof (FIGs. 1, 3 and 26) which are disposed immediately tothe rear of the core bar jogging means. On each side of the machinethere is provided at such location an L-shaped overarm 474, the verticalportion of which is secured to the upper edge of the respective frameplate 14, 15 and the upper portion of which extends laterally inwardlytoward the molds. Such upper portion of each overarm carries adownwardly facing generally horizontal track 475, the forward lowersurface of which is inclined to form a ramp so that the rollers 100 onthe core bars may enter therebeneath. An upwardly extending flange 479on the upper portion of the overarm 474 carries a horizontal stub shaft477, such shaft journalling a roll 476 on its inner end. The axis of theshaft 477 lies in a vertical transverse plane which substantiallycoincides with the zone of the track 475 wherein the lower surfacethereof becomes horizontal. As the core bars 86 travel with the moldsinto which the cores thereon have been inserted, they are thrustdownwardly by track 475 toward the molds against the opposition of thecoil compression springs 95 (FIG. 11) which are interposed between thecores 41 and the core bars 86. This permits the pivoted latches 104, 112at each end of a core bar, which are no longer supported by track 404,to swing downwardly in a clockwise direction (FIG. 26) so that thefinger 107 on each latch underlies the respective latch pin 109 on themold bar 47. The roll 476 then engages an upstanding lug 480 on theupper outer end of the latch member 104 as it passes beneath the roll soas to force the latch members 104 into their fully engaged lockingposition to secure the core bar 86 to the mold bar 47 during passagethereof through the oven 11.

The Core Bar Latch Position Detecting Means

On each side of the machine rearwardly of but close to the core barlatch closing means there is disposed a latch position detecting means483 as indicated in FIGS. 1, 3, 28 and 29. A vertical frame member 484carries an overarm 485 fixedly secured thereto, such overarm carrying ahorizontal transverse sleeve 486 on its lower inner end. A shaft 487journalled in the sleeve 486 carries a detecting arm 489 which isfixedly connected thereto. The arm 489, which extends rearwardly fromthe shaft 487, is positioned to underlie the rollers 100 on itsrespective end of the core bars. The upper surface of arm 489 has afirst upwardly inclined ramp-like portion 490 and a generally horizontalgently curved portion 491 at its rear end. The arm 489 is constantlyurged toward a terminal counterclockwise position thereof (FIG. 28) inthe following manner. A crank arm 492 affixed to the outer end of theshaft 487 extends downwardly therefrom. A horizontal rod 494 which has aclevis 495 on its inner end is connected to the arm 492 somewhat aboveits lower end by a pivot pin 496. The outer end of the rod 494 carries aflanged sleeve 500, the flanges on the sleeve lying on opposite sides ofa block 497 which is fixedly attached to a fixed frame part 499. The rod494 is free for sliding within the sleeve 500 to a limited degree,movement of the rod to the right (FIG. 28) being terminated byengagement between a nut 501 adjustably mounted on the end of the rodwith the end of the sleeve 500. The rod 494 is constantly urged intosuch terminal position, and thus the arm 489 is constantly thrust towardits upper terminal position, by a coil compression spring 502 which actsbetween an abutment collar on the rod 494 and the inner end of thesleeve 500.

The lower end of the arm 492 is provided with an abutment finger 504 atits lower end. A switch 505 is mounted on the frame adjacent the arm492, a crank 506 on the operating shaft of the switch carrying a roller507 which abuts the member 504 on the arm 492. The switch is thusnormally held in circuit closing position by spring 502. Switch 505opens when a roller 100 of a locked core bar 86 engages and passes overlever arm 489 to pivot arm 492 clockwise (FIG. 28) and release lever506. However, when the roller 100 of an unlatched core bar passes overlever arm 489, the latter will not be depressed sufficiently to permitswitch 505 to open. The switches 505 of the two detectors on oppositesides of the machine are connected in parallel and are interposed in acontrol circuit for the motor 21 which drives conveyor 20 and otherparts of the machine.

A second switch 509 (FIG. 25), which is normally open, is interposed inthe control circuit in series with the two parallel connected switches505. Switch 509 has an operating shaft 510 to which is fixedly connectedan arm 511 bearing a roller 512 on its outer end. The roller 512cooperates with the cam 375, the switch 509 being closed during eachpassage of the single lobe of the cam past the switch operating roller512. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the lobe of the cam375 engages the roller 512 each time that a roll 100 on a core barpasses the detector lever 489. The control circuit is so arranged thatif either of the two switches 505 thereof should remain closed whenswitch 509 is closed, the motor 21 will be stopped. Thus, should a corebar 86 not be properly locked to its mold bar 47 at either end, therespective detecting arm 489 will remain fully or partially elevated asthe roller 100 rides thereover. Under such conditions the switch 505operated by such arm 489 will remain closed and the motor 21 will bede-energized to stop the machine.

The Drives at the Forward End of the Machine

Inwardly of the side frame plate 14 and of the gear case 28 mounted onthe outer side thereof there is a sprocket 514 which is affixed to theshaft 26 (FIGS. 4 and 32). A chain 515 extends from the sprocket 514 toa sprocket on an intermediate stub shaft 516, the shaft 516 driving across shaft 517 through a gear set 519. A chain 520 extends in generallyvertical runs between a sprocket 521 on shaft 517 and a sprocket 522 ona lower shaft 524 of an upper cone conveyor. Such conveyor has a secondupper shaft 525, the shafts 524 and 525 being connected by parallelconveyor chains 526 entrained over sprockets 527 on shaft 524 andsprockets 529 on shaft 525. Beneath the upper conveyor there is disposedan inclined chute made up of an upper portion 530 and a lower portion531 which lie at a slight angle with respect to each other as shown inFIG. 2. The chute is divided by longitudinally extending verticalpartitions 532 which form a plurality (10 shown) of channels, each ofwhich is aligned with a respective longitudinally extending row of moldsand a sucker 195. Cross members 534, which are secured at their oppositeends to the respective chains 526, carry a plurality of equally spacedtransverse partition or paddle members 535, such partitions, whenconfronting the chute 530, 531, forming a plurality of sequentiallytravelling compartments, each of which receives a single cone or cupdischarged from the molds and sucker in its particular row.

The Cone Trimmer

The chute 531, which is provided with relatively shallow partitions 532which serve to maintain the cones in the various rows thereof separatedfrom each other, discharges the cones to a plurality of cone trimmers539 (FIGS. 1 and 2), there being 10 cone trimmers, one for eachlongitudinal row of molds 40. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the conetrimmers has a male die 541, such male dies being mounted in a row upona common cross slide 540. Slide 540 is guided for vertical reciprocationby two fixed vertical guide rods 542 which are received in passages inthe respective ends of the cross slide. Mounted on a fixed frame part ofthe machine in alignment with the respective male dies are 10 femaledies 544 which are disposed in alignment with and below the lower end ofthe chute 531 so that individual cones discharged upon such chute slidedownwardly in upright position and into the opening in the female die,when the male dies are in elevated position. The cones or cups remainsuspended in the female dies by engagement between the upper enlargedcollar thereon and the upper end of the female die. Upon the descent ofthe male die 541 into the cone, the upper collar on the cone as bakedand any excess portions of the cones at such locations, such as flash,are sheared from the cone which then passes downwardly through thefemale die and into a discharge chute 545 which is provided withpartitions 546 so as to maintain the cones baked in the molds of therespective longitudinal rows of molds separated from each other.

The slide 540 of the cone trimmer is vertically reciprocated in thefollowing manner. A can 547 is affixed to the lefthand (FIG. 27) end ofthe cross drive shaft 26. The cam 547 drives a trimmer rock shaft 549(FIGS. 2 and 4) through the medium of a cam follower arm 550 affixed tothe shaft 549 and a cam follower roll 551 on the outer end of the arm550. Two similar laterally spaced arms 552 are affixed to the shaft 549,the outer end of each being pivotally connected to the lower end of arespective thrust rod 554 by a pivot pin 555. The upper end of each rod554 is connected to the slide 540 by a pivot pin 557. The cam 547 andthe described driving linkage between it and the slide 540 are soconstructed and arranged that the slide makes one complete cycle ofreciprocation between the delivery of successive cones to the conetrimmer.

Drive for Conveyor 12

Shaft 517 carries a sprocket 559 which is affixed thereto, a chain 560being entrained over said sprocket and a further sprocket 561 affixed toa shaft 562 at the cone-entering end of the conveyor 12. Conveyor 12 isprovided with an endless belt 564 which rests upon and is driven bypulleys on the shaft 562. The upper, operative run of the belt 564travels along an upper, belt-supporting table 565, the lower run of thebelt being supported by a lower table 566. Preferably, the upper table565 is provided with longitudinally extending vertical partitions whichmaintain the cones delivered from the various longitudinally extendingrows of the molds separated from each other. This permits a four colorcone pack to be formed from the cones issuing from each row of moldswhen the batter-delivering pump 244 is supplied and operated in themanner above described.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, itis to be expressly understood that various changes, such as in therelative arrangement and dimensions of the parts, may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as willnow be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus comprising a conveyor carrying aplurality of longitudinally spaced molds on transversely-disposed moldbars and interfitted cores mounted on transversely-disposed core barsfrom which the cores extend, said core bars overlying the mold bars whenthe cores are interfitted with the molds, said cores and core bars beingremovable from the molds and said cores having limited reciprocationrelative to the core bars in a direction into and out of the molds,interengaging stop means on the cores and molds to determine the fullyinserted position of the cores, resilient means acting between the corebars and the cores for constantly thrusting the cores into the molds, afirst core manipulating means for removing the cores from the molds andtemporarily storing the removed cores on the conveyor, a second coremanipulating means downstream of said first means for removing the coresfrom storage on the conveyor and re-inserting them in the molds, andreleasable means for selectively latching each core bar to an underlyingmold
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising means responsive tomovement of the conveyor for releasing said core bar latching means. 3.Apparatus comprising a continuously moving endless conveyor, at leasttwo longitudinally spaced and aligned molds carried by the conveyor,each said mold comprising separable parts whereby the same may be openedto permit the discharge of a molded product therefrom, a core for saidmolds interfittable therewith and removable therefrom, a core bar, saidcore being mounted on said core bar for limited reciprocation relativethereto in a direction into and out of a mold when the bar overlies themold, core storage means on the conveyor for supporting the core andcore bar between said molds, means for locking the core bar to theleading one of said molds with the core in the cavity of the leading oneof said molds, interengaging stop means on the core and mold todetermine the fully inserted position of the core, resilient meansacting between the core bar and the core for constantly thrusting thecore into the mold, means for releasing said locking means, means fortransferring the unlocked core bar and core from said leading mold tosaid storage means, means for opening and closing said leading mold,means for transferring said core bar and core from said storage means tothe trailing one of said molds, and means for activating said lockingmeans to lock the core bar to said trailing mold with the core in thecavity of the mold.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the meansfor releasing the core bar locking means is responsive to movement ofthe conveyor.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the core barlies appreciably spaced from the mold when the core bar is locked to themold, the locking means comprises a first latching member movablymounted on the core bar and a second latching member on the mold engagedby the first latching member, the first latching member being releasablefrom the second latching member upon thrusting the core bar toward themold against the opposition of the resilient means and then moving thefirst latching member to clear the second latching member.
 6. Inapparatus for making a hollow molded product, a mold, a core bar, a coresupported on the core bar and adapted to be inserted in the mold, thecore bar overlying the mold when the core is disposed within the mold,the core bar and the core being removable from the mold, the core beingmounted on the core bar for limited reciprocation in a direction intoand out of the mold, interengaging stop means on the core and mold todetermine the fully inserted position of the core, resilient meansacting between the core bar and the core for thrusting the core into themold, conveyor means for transporting the mold, core bar and core in anendless path, releasable latching means comprising latches movablymounted on the core bar and operatively engageable with the mold to lockthe mold and core bar together, first means responsive to movement ofthe conveyor means for thrusting the core bar toward the mold againstthe pressure of said resilient means to and beyond the position at whichthe core attains said fully seated position, and second means responsiveto movement of the conveyor means for holding the latches in lockingposition when the core bar is released by said first means to effectlocking engagement of the latches with the mold, whereby said resilientmeans is compressed and effective to hold the core in said fullyinserted position and to retain the latches in locking position. 7.Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein cylindrical parts of the core aredisposed in an enlarged cylindrical passage in the core bar so as topermit appreciable linear bodily movement of the core laterally relativeto the core bar in the plane of the core bar perpendicular to the axisof the core.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising cooperating,generally cylindrical guide surfaces on the mold and core within themold cavity for centering the core with respect to the mold axis. 9.Apparatus as defined in claim 6 comprising means responsive to movementof the coveyor means to again temporarily thrust the core bar slightlytoward the mold to release the latches and facilitate movement thereofout of locking position.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 comprisingmeans responsive to movement of the conveyor means for moving saidlatches out of locking position to permit removal of the core bar andcore from the mold.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein saidfirst means comprises rollers mounted on the core bar and railscooperable with the rollers.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 whereinsaid second means comprises rollers mounted on stationery axles andengageable with said latches.
 13. In apparatus for making a hollowmolded product, a mold, a core bar, a core supported on the core bar andadapted to be inserted in the mold, the core bar overlying the mold whenthe core is disposed within the mold, the core bar and the core beingremoveable from the mold, the core being mounted on the core bar forlimited reciprocation in a direction into and out of the mold,interengaging stop means on the core and mold to determine the fullyinserted position of the core, resilient means acting between the corebar and the core for thrusting the core into the mold, conveyor meansfor carrying the mold, core bar and core in an endless path, releasablelatching means acting between each end of the core bar and the mold tolock them together with the core bar appreciably spaced from the moldwhen the core bar is locked to the mold, each said latching meanscomprising at least one latching member movably mounted on the core barand a latching member on the mold engaged by the latching member on thecore bar, means responsive to movement of the assembled mold and corebar by the conveyor means for thrusting the core bar toward the moldagainst the opposition of the resilient means, and means responsive tosuch movement for actuating said latching members out of lockingposition while the core bar is thus thrust toward the mold. 14.Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the means for thrusting the corebar comprises spring pressed means engaging the core bar and thrustingthe core bar toward the mold against the opposition of the resilientmeans acting between the core bar and the core.
 15. Apparatus as definedin claim 13 wherein the means for actuating the latching membercomprises cam means engageable by one of said latching members.
 16. Inapparatus for making a hollow molded product, a mold having an open endcavity, a core bar, a core supported on the core bar and adapted to beinserted in the mold cavity through said open end, the core baroverlying the mold when the core is disposed within the mold, the corebar and the core being removable from the mold, the core being mountedon the core bar for limited reciprocation in a direction into and out ofthe mold, interengaging internal and external shoulders on the core andmold, respectively, within the mold cavity to determine the fullyinserted position of the core and thereby form a closed molding spaceinwardly of said shoulders around the core, interengaging surfaces onthe core and mold within the cavity and outwardly of said interengagingshoulders for piloting and centering the core in the cavity, a groove inthe wall of said cavity between said internal shoulder and said pilotingsurface in the mold cavity forming a space between the core and moldwithin the latter to receive excess moldable material from said moldingspace upon insertion of the core, resilient means acting between thecore bar and the core for thrusting the core into the mold, releasablelatching means acting between the core bar and the mold to lock themtogether, said latching means comprising hook-like latches pivotallymounted on the core bar for movement into and out of operative lockingengagement with the mold, conveyor means for carrying said mold and corebar in an endless path in a vertical plane, first means responsive tomovement of the conveyor means for moving the core bar toward the moldagainst the pressure of said resilient means when the core is in saidfully inserted position to permit pivotal movement of the latches intolocking position, and second means responsive to movement of theconveyor means for pivoting the latches into locking position to engagethe mold when the core bar is released by said first means.